What Is The Japanese Technique Of Clay?

The Japanese clay technique refers to the traditional methods of working with clay that have been developed in Japan over centuries. This technique involves crafting ceramic objects like vases, bowls, plates and figurines using specialized clays, tools and firing methods.

The origins of Japanese clay work can be traced back to the Jomon period, from 14,000-300 BCE, when early Japanese potters began crafting basic earthenware vessels. Over the following centuries, as Japanese culture developed and Chinese and Korean influences brought new techniques, Japanese pottery became increasingly advanced and refined. Distinct styles emerged, like Jomon pottery, Haji ware, Sue ware and Tanba ware, distinguished by their unique shapes, designs, materials and firing methods.

By the 17th century, Japanese ceramics reached their peak of sophistication. New techniques like hand-modeling, wheel-throwing, and coiling produced a vast diversity of forms and styles. The processes also became more complex, involving meticulous refinement of the clay, intricate decoration, and unique firing methods like raku. While incorporating some modern evolutions, the core techniques of Japanese clay work remain grounded in centuries of tradition and artistry.

The Japanese clay technique yields stunning ceramics like Signed works of art. Masters train for years to perfect the balance of beauty, simplicity and functionality in their pieces. This technique is valued for the way it fuses art, tradition and nature through clay.

Tools and Materials Used

The Japanese clay technique utilizes several specialized tools and materials. The key materials are the types of clay used.

The most common clays are:

• Earthenware – This porous clay can be fired at lower temperatures. It comes in various colors like red, brown, and white.
• Stoneware – Denser and less porous than earthenware, stoneware clays can be fired at higher temperatures to make them more durable.
• Porcelain – The purest clay, porcelain can be fired at very high temperatures to become translucent and smooth.

Sculpting tools like ribbon tools, loop tools, wooden modeling sticks, wire loop cutters, and ribbed clay boards are used to shape the clay. Plasters like hydrocal and ultracal are essential for mold making.

Glazes using minerals, oxides, and other materials provide colors and effects after firing. Inks, dyes, resin, and other paints are used to hand decorate pieces.

Preparing the Clay

Proper preparation of the clay is an essential first step in Japanese clay techniques. The clay must be kneaded thoroughly to achieve an even consistency free of air pockets. Wedging is also used to ready the clay by cutting and reforming it into a uniform slab.

Kneading involves pressing, folding, and pushing the clay to mix it evenly. It helps remove trapped air bubbles and creates a smooth, lump-free consistency. The clay is pressed down and folded repeatedly until thoroughly mixed. Adding water periodically helps bind the clay. Kneading also warms the clay and makes it more malleable for sculpting.

Wedging is often done after kneading. It involves cutting the clay slab into sections, then pressing and reforming it back together. This realigns the clay particles and removes air pockets. It also evenly distributes moisture and conditioning agents throughout the clay. Wedging results in a uniform and smooth slab, ready for sculpting.

Proper conditioning is also key. Most clay requires grog, water, and plasticizers added to achieve optimal consistency and workability. The prepared clay should feel moist but not sticky, firm but still flexible. Mastering clay preparation is the foundation for success with Japanese clay techniques.

Sculpting Methods of Japanese Clay Techniques

There are three primary sculpting methods used in Japanese clay techniques:

Pinching

Pinching is likely the oldest and most basic clay shaping method. It involves pinching and pulling the clay with fingers and hands only to form basic shapes like bowls, cups, and vases. Pinch pots are made starting with a ball of clay and pushing thumbs into the center while pinching the sides to form the shape. Pinching enables direct connection to the clay and is often used by beginners for its simplicity.

Coiling

Coiling involves rolling clay into long rope-like coils, then stacking and bonding the coils on top of each other to build up height. The coils can be fused together using the fingers or a tool, and the surface smoothed out using ribs and scrapers. Complex shapes and large pots are constructed through coiling. It is one of the most common handbuilding techniques used by Japanese clay artists.

Slab Construction

Slab building involves rolling out sheets or slabs of uniform thickness and cutting shapes that are joined to form the structure. Slabs can be stacked, folded, and shaped, combining with coil and pinch techniques. This enables intricate surface patterns. Japanese clay artists often use thin slabs that get stretched over molds to pick up surface impressions.

Mold Making

Mold making is an essential part of the Japanese clay technique. There are several mold making methods used by Japanese potters and ceramic artists to achieve precision and consistency in their pieces:

Plaster Molds

Plaster molds involve making a negative mold out of plaster that can be used to create multiple duplicates of a form. To make a plaster mold, the original form is pressed into a bed of wet plaster to create an impression. Once dried, the mold can be filled with liquid clay slip to cast multiples of the original.

Press Molds

Press molds are made from plaster, but involve pressing soft clay into the mold rather than pouring slip. The clay is pressed into the mold, allowed to firm up, then removed to reveal the finished piece. Press molds allow more intricate surface textures and details than slip casting.

Slip Molds

Slip molds are made from absorbent materials like plaster or bisqueware. Liquid clay slip is painted onto the interior mold surface, building up layers until the desired thickness is achieved. The clay adheres to the mold as the moisture gets absorbed. The final cast clay piece can then be removed from the mold.

These mold making techniques allow Japanese potters to efficiently replicate forms and intricate details. Molds are instrumental for production while maintaining artistic standards.

Drying and Firing

After a clay piece has been sculpted, it usually goes through a drying process before being fired in a kiln. There are two main ways to dry clay:

Air Drying

Air drying involves allowing clay pieces to sit at room temperature until all the moisture evaporates. This is the most common method for drying small pieces. The clay is left in a well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight and heaters which could cause uneven drying. Air drying can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks depending on the size and thickness of the piece.

Kiln Drying

Larger clay pieces are typically dried in a kiln at a low temperature of 100-150°F. The gradual heat from the kiln removes moisture from the clay evenly and prevents cracking that can occur when drying thicker pieces. Kiln drying still takes days but is faster than air drying. The piece is left in the kiln until fully dry.

Firing

Once the clay is fully dry, the next step is firing it in a kiln. Firing hardens and strengthens the clay through sintering. The firing temperature used depends on the type of clay:

• Earthenware clays are fired at lower temperatures of 1800-2100°F.
• Stoneware clays are fired around 2200-2400°F.
• Porcelain clays require the highest firing temperature around 2300-2600°F.

Firing is done slowly, increasing the heat gradually to allow the clay molecules to adjust. Firing typically takes 6-12 hours for one cycle. The final firing turns the soft clay into a hardened, finished ceramic piece.

Decorating and Glazing

One of the key steps in finishing a piece of Japanese clay art is decorating and glazing. This process not only adds color and design to the sculpture, but also provides an extra layer of protection and seals the porous clay surface.

Glazes are vitreous coatings applied to ceramic wares through various methods like pouring, dipping, and spraying. When fired at high temperatures, glaze melts into a smooth, glassy finish. There are many types of glazes to choose from, including:

• Transparent – Clear glaze that accentuates the natural clay color underneath
• Opaque – Glaze with compounds that make it non-transparent and with its own color
• Crackle – Glaze with oxides that cause it to crackle during firing
• Crystalline – Glaze with compounds that encourage crystal growth during firing

Underglazes are also used to decorate the clay before glazing. They are made of minerals mixed with water and a medium and applied to bisqueware. Underglazes come in wide varieties of colors. When fired, the glaze seals and makes the underglaze permanent.

Japanese potters also employ hand-painting techniques by using ceramic stains, slips, and engobes. These liquid clay mixtures are painted on the ware before firing. Brushwork styles like replacing and sgraffito involve applying layers of colored slips then etching into them to reveal the underlying slip colors.

Mixing glazes is also an artform, as potters experiment to create customized colors and textures. Factors like glaze ingredients, firing temperature, application method, and thickness of the glaze layer all affect the final look.

Notable Japanese Clay Artists

Japan has produced many renowned ceramic artists that have made significant contributions to the craft. Some of the most influential include:

Kitaoji Rosanjin (1883-1959) – Rosanjin was a renaissance man skilled in calligraphy, painting, and ceramics. He helped revive the Mingei folk craft movement and created a large body of work characterized by simplicity, spontaneity, and natural forms. He mastered carved clay, glazes, and firing techniques.

Ogata Kenzan (1663-1743) – Kenzan was known for pioneering a lively style of painted porcelain and clay works featuring natural motifs like flowers and animals. His innovative shapes and glazes had a major influence on future generations.

Kawai Kanjiro (1890-1966) – Kanjiro created rustic folk pottery inspired by anonymous ceramics from Korea and Japan’s prehistoric Jomon period. His rough, handmade style contrasted with the refined porcelain wares of the time.

Yagi Kazuo (1918-1979) – Kazuo became known for austere, modernist sculptures exploring abstract organic shapes. His innovative firing and glazing techniques produced unique surface textures and colors.

Fukami Sueharu (born 1947) – A contemporary artist, Sueharu creates finely detailed sculptures reflecting themes from nature, Buddhism, and mythology. He is known for his vivid use of colors.

Types of Pieces

The Japanese clay technique is used to produce a wide variety of pieces, but some of the most common include:

Vases

Japanese clay artists have a long tradition of creating unique and elegant vases. The techniques allow them to produce delicate shapes and patterns in the clay. Vases are often left unglazed to showcase the natural look and feel of the clay.

Pots

Clay pots have many functional uses in Japanese culture from storing food to displaying flowers. Japanese clay pots feature simple but beautiful designs. The pottery often complements ikebana flower arrangements.

Sculptures

Clay sculpting is highly developed in Japan. Sculptures depict anything from human figures to animals to mystical creatures. Sculptures may be realistic or stylized interpretations.

Figurines

Small clay figurines called ningyo are a traditional Japanese art form. They represent characters from folklore, history, or theatre. The detailed figurines convey personality and emotion through their poses and expressions.

Popularity and Influence

The technique of working with clay to create functional and decorative items is highly popular in Japan. Its popularity stems from the long history of clay art in Japanese culture and its distinctive properties that make it an excellent medium for both utilitarian and artistic purposes.

The practice of working with clay in Japan dates back thousands of years, to the Jomon period starting around 14,500 BCE. Jomon pottery, created by early Japanese hunter-gatherers, is the oldest known type of pottery in the world. Over the centuries, Japanese ceramic arts continued to evolve and thrive, especially from the 17th to 19th centuries.

Several unique properties make clay ideally suited to meeting the needs and aesthetic tastes of Japanese artisans and craftsmen. The malleability of clay allows for delicate detailing and precision shaping. When fired at high temperatures, clay becomes durable and rock-hard while still retaining intricate patterns and finishes. Glazes in vivid colors and textures can be applied to finished ceramic pieces to enhance visual appeal.

As Japanese ceramic arts gained renown, their influence spread internationally. The simple yet sophisticated aesthetic of Japanese pottery and porcelain inspired ceramicists in Europe and North America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Movements like Art Nouveau and the Arts and Crafts movement incorporated design elements from traditional Japanese clay work. Today, the Japanese aesthetic remains a major inspiration for potters and ceramic artists globally. The continuing enthusiasm for Japanese clay techniques is a testament to their unique qualities that lend themselves beautifully to artistic expression.